2015 Electoral Assembly Announcement

13 February 2015

Dear Members, Companions, Volunteers, and Friends,

The Leadership Team is pleased to announce the 2015 Provincial Assembly will be held at the Church of Annunciation beginning Monday evening, April 13 and concluding with lunch on Thursday, April 16, 2015. As we celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the Founding of our Congregation and the 50th Anniversary of the Kansas City Province, we will gather in Assembly this year to discern and elect leadership for the next four years.

The Elections Committee has sent you information regarding the process for discernment and you have been meeting in districts and companion groups to prepare for and dialogue about the election of leadership. The committee will be sending out a straw ballot in a separate mailing. We are grateful to the committee and Mr. Tom Minges who will facilitate the election process at the Assembly.

Discernment and election of leadership for the province is an important obligation and we certainly encourage all to attend this year’s Assembly. However, if a member is unable to attend for reasons of health, he may request an absentee ballot from the Provincial Office.

Our Assembly begins with a social and dinner on Monday evening, April 13, followed by a welcome and remembrance of our Precious Blood communion of saints, especially those who have died since we last came together in Assembly. At our Eucharist and banquet on April 15, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Kansas City Province. We are inviting all former members of the province to join us. We will also honor those members who are celebrating significant anniversaries:

Fr. Al Herber, C.PP.S., 70 years of Incorporation & 65 years of Ordination

The recipients of the Precious Blood scholarships will also be presented during the Assembly.

In addition to the elections, on Thursday morning, April 16, we will take care of the business of the province. Members who wish to submit items for the Business Assembly are asked to do so by March 16, 2015. The Leadership Team will be meeting on March 17-18 to finalize the agenda for the Assembly.

The installation of new leadership will be on Monday evening, June 1, 2015, at Savior of the World Center in Kansas City, KS. All members, companions, and volunteers are invited to the social, banquet, and installation ceremony. A retreat for the members will follow, concluding at noon on June 5. More information about the retreat will be forthcoming.

Once again this year we are grateful to Brother Daryl Charron and Companion Elizabeth Heule for serving as co-chairs for the Assembly, to Father David Matz who will plan the liturgies, and Lucia Ferrara for coordinating the meals. And, of course, we are most grateful to Father John Wolf, our Precious Blood Companions, and the parishioners at the Church of the Annunciation in Kearney who will open their doors to us again with their extraordinary hospitality.

We look forward to seeing all of you at this year’s Assembly! As we celebrate our Bicentennial, may the Spirit of St. Gaspar continue to inspire us and guide us as we journey in the bond of charity to be ambassadors of reconciliation and renewal in our church and our world!